This invention relates to a dispensing attachment for loaders, which dispenses flowable material such as sand into bags and which is attachable to loaders or mechanical shovels which can be used to scoop up flowable material which is then dispensed through the dispensing attachment into bags.
The prior art discloses different types of bag filling apparatuses which are used to conveniently put flowable material such as sand into bags which are primarily used to cordon off areas so as to protect property from floods and to erect barricades for protection against social unrest.
One known prior art is a CONVEYOR AND CHUTE, COMBINED WITH SWINGABLY MOUNTED MEASURE HOPPER, U.S. PAT. NO. 2,523,562, invented by John E. Eakin and Nelson S. Wallace, which comprises a conveyor, a chute disposed beneath the conveyor, a hopper mounted at the discharge end of the chute and having an outlet for dispensing flowable material which must be delivered to the conveyor by other means. The conveyor and chute structure is free-standing and not easily movable.
Another known prior art is a SAND-BAGGING ATTACHMENT FOR DUMP TRUCKS, U.S. PAT. NO. 3,552,346, invented by Kenneth S. Garden, which comprises a hopper attached to the back end of a dump truck and having dispensing chutes with gates therein and an auger means for moving sand through the hopper. Again like the other prior art, the sand must be retrieved and delivered by an outside means to the dump truck before the sand-bagging attachment can be implemented.
Another known prior art is a SAND BAG FILLING APPARATUS, U.S. PAT. NO. 4,044,921, invented by Warren R. Caverly, which comprises a hopper having rotatable longitudinal members, a conveyor which receives sand from the hopper and which transports the sand to a discharge end.
Another known prior art is a MECHANIZED BAG FILLING APPARATUS, U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,522, invented by Jerry A. Waite, which comprises a pivotable trailer-mounted bag filling assembly comprising a receptacle with an auger, a conveyor, and a chute having bagging heads and being self-contained with its own power plant.
Another known prior art is a BAG FILLING APPARATUS, U.S. PAT. NO. 4,585,042, invented by Leo J. Cavanagh, which comprises a hopper having bag filling chutes and a structure to selectively control the openings of the chutes.
Another known prior art is a SANDBAG FILLING DEVICE, U.S. PAT. NO. 5,215,127, invented by Guy E. Bergeron, which comprises a trailer having a vertical post with a distribution head at the top of the post, which is attached to filling spouts and further comprises a chute disposed at the top of the head, and a conveyor for supplying sand to the chute.
None of the prior art disclosed above has means which not only retrieves the flowable material but also dispenses the material into bags, a problem solved by the present invention which is not suggested nor anticipated by any of the prior art.